National Seal Sanctuary
		Issue 31
		27th November 2009

This week saw the Animal Care Team move most of our patients outside to the nursery pools, with only two left in the hospital, Angelina and Scabbers, we were hoping for a bit of a break before the next wave of pups came in. The seal hotline was up and running for pups out in the wild when they heard we had vacancies. Our first call came on Monday (23rd November 2009) from a member of the public who was on the beach at Porthgwarra and was concerned about a seal. We sent the team out and they found the pup on the beach with puncture wounds and a high temperature, and it was decided to bring the pup back to Gweek. In the SOS Seal Hospital, the team carried out an assessment and found the pup to be 6 weeks old and weighing 19.5 kilos. All her wounds were cleaned and treated and she was started on a course of antibiotics, as this pup is a little girl, she has been named Skeeter. On the 24th November 2009 will had a phone call from a lady in Bude, who was concerned about a seal on the beach at Crackington Haven. We called one of our volunteers who headed out and reported back to us when they found the seal. The pup was a little quiet and very lethargic and it was decided to bring the pup in. While our volunteer up lifted the seal, we decided to meet halfway at Wadbridge. The seal was transferred and given fluids for the journey back to the Sanctuary. Back at the hospital the clinical assessment revealed that the seal did have old wounds which had healed, scuffs to nail beds, a swollen flipper and a wobbly tooth. The pup has been given a course of antibiotics and multi-vitamins and iron tablets. The pup weighs in at 25.5 kilos and is around 4-5 weeks old and a little boy and has been named Dumbledore.

Angelina has now moved to the main hospital and doing well, she has not yet got water in her pen, but hopefully will in the next few days, she is starting to moult but still looking very cute. Scabbers is now in water and has been moved into hospital pen 4, this gives him a bit more room for swimming, but as you can see from his photo, he is not too bothered. Pigwidgeon in nursery pool 4, still refusing to have his photo taken for the website. As you can see from the photo, Luna is chillin’ by the side of the pool in the outside nursery pool 1. What made this seal pup laugh!! Here is a picture of Ginny telling a joke to Dolores, who thought it was incredibly funny. Ginny says ‘Why don't seals eat penguins?’ Answer: ‘They can't get the wrappers off!’

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